October Mixed Media Challenge

Hello, Crafty Friends!

Welcome to this first Sunday in October and the start of a new Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. As you know Anything Mixed Media Goes as long as it is not a card and you use at least one stencil.

My DT contribution for October is ... a tealight holder ....

... which is now adorning the mantelpiece in our lounge.

Here are the basic steps on how I made it:

• paint a clean, empty jar on the outside with Stone PapertArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paint
• sand back a little and add a layer of Claret PaperArtsy Fresco Finish paint
• using the ARTplorations Leaf Prints Stencil create 6 leaves as described in my video below
• sand the jar once more a little before applying Gold Metallic Acrylic paint to the jar and the leaves
• attach the leaves and gems using glue
• add a piece of raffia around the top and lightly brush with metallic gold acrylic paint
• add golden glitter glue around the rim and bottom
• add a tealight using a glue dot to keep in place

How I made the leaves ...

Here is another look without the light candle ..

I hope you feel inspired to create something different, maybe even do some up-cycling or re-purposing .... why not link it up with the Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. The theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes except cards which means projects such as tags, ATCs, canvases, layouts, art journal pages etc,are perfect for entering, and you must have used at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. The challenge will close at the end of the month. You can find the full challenge details plus more Mixed Media inspiration here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

That's it from me for today. I shall be back soon with another project to share.

Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx


here is what I used from the STAMPlorations Shop, remember to apply my personal discount code STAMPGIRLMONIKA (not case sensitive) at check out for a 20% discount on their stamps, stencils and dies:
ARTplorations Stencils: Leaf Prints

CUTplorations Die Release Hop Day 3

... and overall Blog Hop DAY 7 ...

Hi All! It's PARTY TIME!!!!! STAMPlorations is turning 3 and they are celebrating BIG! It's Blog Hop Time!

..... and Shery is releasing a new product too ... CUTplorations thin metal dies ... this is day 3 of their release ...

First up is my DT contribution to DAY 7 of the blog hop. Today I was working with two of the CUTplorations word dies, hugs and smile ....

... in combination with CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies, ARTplorations Stencils: Leaf Prints and Kathryn's Big Wishes stamp set.

The first card is super easy to make ... cut a Crazy Double Running Stitch rectangle, spritz with ink, cut out the word hugs, layer on a contrasting base card, attach a leaf using decoupage gel glue (it helps to keep the shape) and finish off with a couple of clear gems. You can see how I made the leaf in my short Easy Leaves video here.

For my second card, I stamped, masked and coloured to build up my image and stamped sentiment before cutting the word smile into it keeping all the elements even the little fill in bits one normally would discard as they were due to become part of my sentiment base layer. I also cut the word smile twice more from white card to build up my sentiment for a 3D effect. Have a close look ...

Now back to the blog hop ... as with every blog hop there will be prizes for commenting on participating blogs. You can find all the links for DAY 7 here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

The prizes for commenting are:

Prizes for commenting on the STAMPlorations blog and STAMPlorations designers blogs:

• THREE (3) winners of $25 gift certificate
• SEVEN (7) winners (1 per day) of $10 gift certificate

All prizes will be randomly drawn using Random.org

.... hold on, that's not all ... there is also a Linky Party you can join to help us celebrate

How does this work:

• there is a mood board below for you to draw inspiraiton from
• create your project (No back linking, projects must be new, but you can use any brand of product. We would be tickled pink if you were to use STAMPlorations products, but it is not necessary.)
• display the mood board in your post
• link to any of the 7 blog hop posts
• the linky will be open until 5th July, it will close lateron  today

Here is the mood board, remember it needs to be displayed in your blog post to qualify ...

Here are the Linky Party prizes:

• one winner of Kathryn's Big Wishes
• one winner of three CUTplorations word dies, winner's choice

All winners will be drawn by Random.org.

This is me finished, one last look at my cards ....

 

I shall be back soon. Have a lovely day!

hugs
Monika xxx

link to DAY 1, DAY 2, DAY 3, DAY 4, DAY 5, DAY 6, DAY 7 of the Blog Hop

here is what I used:
CUTplorations thin metal dies Words: hugs and smile, Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies
  
ARTplorations Stencils: Leaf Prints, Kathryn's Big Wishes
 

Stencil Sunday

... and joining STAMPlorations' Mixed Media Team

Hi All,

today I want to invite you to come with me on a new adventure journey ... discovering Mixed Media.

Today's Stencil Sunday is also the start of July's Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations, and my DT piece is an altered puzzle framed mirror .....

The individual pieces were given a coat of stone coloured emulsion paint left over from decorating. I then used the ARTplorations Weathered Wood Stencil and Crumb Cake ink to create my base pattern before adding some dimension with texture paste and the ARTplorations Leaf Prints Stencil. Once dry, I sanded the leaves a little and added some colour and a few stenciled leaves. Using Basic Grey ink I stamped a few flowers and edging using stamps from the Bloom Factory and Mini Mixed Media Backgrounds sets ....

To finish off I added some shaped leaves which I attached with decoupage gel glue to help keep the shape and dimension and some coloured and fuzzy cut blooms.

Here is a little close-up of the textured, stenciled and shaped leaves ....

If you wonder how I made the leaves, have a look at my short video below. The basic steps are the same, but I used pale green coloured card instead of white to start which meant there was no need to use the Promarker.

I hope you feel inspired to create something different .... why not link it up with the Mixed Media Challenge over at STAMPlorations. The theme is always Anything Mixed Media Goes except cards which means projects such as tags, ATCs, canvases, layouts, art journal pages etc,are perfect for entering, and you must have used at least one stencil (any brand) in your project. The challenge will close at the end of the month. You can find the full challenge details plus more Mixed Media inspiration here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

That's it from me for now. I shall leave you with one last look at the mirror ...

Have a lovely day!

hugs

Monika xxx

here is what I used:

ARTplorations Stencils: Weathered Wood and Leaf Prints, Bloom Factory and Mini Mixed Media Backgrounds stamp sets

   

CASEplorations Reminder

Hi All,

Today's project is a little reminder that it is still time to join us in the CASEplorations Playground. This year Shery has given it a proper challenge status, yay! This means the Playground will like in past be open for a whole month, the winner of the best CASE as voted for by the team gets a $15 gift certificate and two Top Picks will each receive a $5 gift certificate, full rules can be found here on the STAMPlorations Blog.

What is the CASE inspiration for January 2016, you might be asking. Well, it is a card by the fabulous Laura Bassen of Doublestick Heaven ...

Laura posted a tutorial on how she made her card here on her blog. There is lots of inspiration to take from her card, such as using texture paste, colour scheme of pastel rainbow colours, the Leaf Prints ARTplorations stencil, the Hashtag Authentic stamp set, twine ...

Here is what I picked:

• texture without the paste, I used stamping through my stencil instead
• ARTplorations Leaf Print stencil
• multiple colours seamlessly blending into each other for which I used Melon Mambo, Crushed Curry and Pistachio Pudding
• fine strands of twine which I turned into a squiggly die-cut vellum heart as I am no good at looping twine and fixing it to a card
• subtle sparklies in the form of sequins

Finally, here it is, my reminder take on Laura's card ...

I attached my Leaf Prints stencil to a piece of Centura Pearl card, sponged my background, picked up my honeycomb stamp from the Mixed Media Grunge set and stamped it through the stencil using Crushed Curry ink. Here is a little close-up where you can see the subtle flecks of yellow on the leaves ...

Next I stamped my sentiment from the Big Greetings set, coloured it using Tinge Alcohol Markers, die cut the vellum heart and layered as seen before finishing off with a few sequins.

I am entering my card at:
Time Out Challenges - Birthday with optional twist of sponging, sponged background on mine
Addicted to Stamps and More - Anything Goes

That's it from me for today. There is still time to join STAMPlorations January Stamp Release Blog Hop. Commenting closes 19th January.

As for the CASEplorations Playground, it is open until the end of the month with a new challenge starting in February. So there is still plenty of time to get your creative juices going.

That's it from me for today.

Have a lovey weekend!
hugs
Monika xxx


here is what I used in today's project, links are in the above text:

  

heart die from Tim Holtz Scribbles and Splat - Sizzix

ARTplorations Stencils Blog Hop Day 2

Hi All! Welcome to Day 2 of the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop, where we, The STAMPlorations Girls, are putting stencils through their paces.

Again I have been going a little bold and crazy today using some of the Gelli Plate backgrounds I made using ARTplorations Stencils Leaf Prints.

I worked with two of the prints I took from one application of acrylics. I first started by laying down some ultramarine, put my stencil on top and applied some metallic silver through my stencil. I then lifted my stencil off and took the first print, which forms the background in my first card. The second print is the one I altered adding some Metallic Melon Gelattos and Spiced Marmalade Distress Paint. I cut both pieces to size and added a strip of plasterboard tape, some sponged die cut flowers, a butterfly and sentiment both from the Trendy Butterflies set to my first card. I decided to white emboss my sentiment on a strip of off-cut to help it blend in better. After layering it all as seen on my pink base card I simply added some silver pearls and a touch of glitter to finish.

For my second card I black embossed my sentiment from the Boxed Blooms set, layered on my black base card and added some pearls and candy dots to finish.

Please leave a comment, and you'll be entered in our prize draw, the details of which are:

SIX winners, that's two per day randomly drawn from all the comments left on our blogs, will receive their choice of ARTploration Stencil.

THREE winners, randomly drawn from comments left on the STAMPlorations Blog Blog Hop Posts, will receive a $15 gift certificate from the STAMPlorations Store.

plus surprise prizes

Make sure you leave a comment when visiting our blogs, you can find all the links here.

That's it from me for today, back tomorrow with more stencil inspiration for Day 3 of the ARTplorations Stencil Blog Hop.

Have fun hopping!

hugs

Monika xxx